Dam for irrigation-ditches.



@mmm/woz @hmmag C.'CHASTAIN.

DAM FOR IRRIGATION DIcIIEs.

APPLICATION FILED MAYIS |917.

Patented Feb. 19, i918.'

2 SHEETS-SHEET I Clam. CHasmm C. CHASTAIN.

DAM FOR IRRIGATION BITCHES.

APPLICATION min MAY I6. 1917.

Patented b. 19, 19m

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I D 1 .1 W 0 3 .I|PI 3 ,m T A w In@ @K .I f mf m m O O n0 7 a 1I o lt r 1| AJM o atkins@ l? @TATE PTENT @FFIQE CARL CHASTAIN, 0F TWIN FALLS, IDAHO, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-FOURTH T0 IVIYRO'N BROWNLEE, OF FORT HALL, IDAHO.

DAM FOR IRRIGATION-BITCHES.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

Application filed May 16, 1917. Serial No. 169,085.

To all whom z't may concer/n:

Be it known that I, CARL CHASTAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Twin Falls, in the county of Twin Falls and State of Idaho, have invented certain new and .useful Improvements in Dams for Irrigation- Ditches, of which the following is a speciication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. 1

This invention relates to portable dams and particularly to dams used in irrigating ditches for the purpose of temporarily checking the passage of water through the ditch or permitting said passage. l

A general object of my invention 1s the provision of a dam of this character very simply constructed, which may be cheaply made and which may be used in all ordinary irrigation ditches.

A further object is to provide a construction of this character which is adjustable, so that it may be adjusted to the size and shape of ditch;v

And still another object is to provide a dam which may be disposed in place by pushing the lower end of the dam downward into the bottom of the ditch and adjusting the two sections of the dam laterally so as to force the side edges into the banks of the ditch.

A further object is to provide a dam of this construction with means whereby the liow of water through the dam may be regulated or entirely prevented.

Still another object is to provide improved means for holding the two sections of the dam in their adjusted positions and another object is to provide means whereby the curtain which controls the flow of water through the dam or cuts it olf entirely may be held in any desired adjusted position and lowered without the necessity of the operator putting his hands in the water.

Further objects relate to the details of construction whereby the dam is strengthened so that it may be made of sheet metal and whereby the dam is strengthened against the pressure of the water.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved portable dam;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the dam;

F ig. 3 is a section on the line of Fig. l.

nig. vl is an elevation of the adjustable brace 33;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the brace 33 and a portion of the member 1l coacting therewith;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the member l1 showing the sinuous guide 31.

Referring to these figures, it will be seen that my dani is approximately scutate in form and is composed of two sections l0 and 11, these sections overlapping upon each other and both sections being formed with downwardly extending portions l2 and 13 respectively, which, when joined by the rivet or bolt la which forms the pivot for the two sections l0 and ll, provide a relatively long sharp edged portion which may be forced down into the mud or earth in the bottom of the irrigation ditch. The two sections by reason of the pivotal connection le may be adjusted laterally with respect to each other so as to increase or decrease the lateral width of the dam and thus force it into the banks of the ditch. These two sections l() and 1l are preferably made of sheet metal and the section l0 is formed with a. substantially rectangular opening i5, placed close to the inside edge of the section l0. rI`he inside edge of this section l0 is formed with an angular longitudinally extending liange- 'l5 to strengthen the inner edge of the section and midway between this flange I6 and the outer edge of the section, there is provided a longitudinally extending angle iron or angle brace `1T which may also be formed of sheet metal. The flange 16 is preferably tapered at its lower edge so as to cut easily into the mud or earth at the bottom of the ditch. The upper edge of this section l() is also formed with a laterally projecting flange 18.

I'he section l1 on its inside edge is cut away as at 19 so as to coact with the opening l5 of the section 10. @n its upper edge the section ll is formed with the flange 2O which extends in a direction opposite to the flange 18, this flange 2O being formed with a plurality of notches 2l for the purpose which will be later stated.

For the purpose of holding the sections l() and 11 in laterally adjusted positions, I p rovide a clamp designated generally 22, which clamp is provided with a U-shaped member 23 which embraces the upper edges of the sections and a clamping member 24 which has its middle portion engaged by and swivele'd to' a clamp screw which passes through one leg of the screw-threaded portion and has screw-threaded engagement therewith. On each side of the middle portion of the clamping member 24, the member is outwardly bowed. The free end of the U-shaped member 23 is formed with an inwardly projecting lug 2G. It will be obvious that after the sections 10 and 11 are adjusted they may be held in their adjusted Vpositions by turning the thumb screw 25 so as to urge the member 24: into clamping engagement with the two sections and thus hold them adjusted and transversely brace the upper ends oit' the section.

Adapted to be disposed with its upper edge between the clamping member 24 and the corresponding faces of the sections l0 and 11 is a curtain 27 which is made of heavy canvas or other suitable material ofV like character and which is braced at intervals by transverse strips 28 of metal, preferably riveted at their ends to the canvas curtain 27 and extending nearly to the edges of the canvas curtain. These strips 28 are provided each at its middle with an eye 29. The uppermost strip has no eye as it is this strip which is inserted between the clamping member 24 and the tace of the dam. Attached to tne lowermost strip is a cord 30 or other flexible connection, which is adapted to pass beneath the corrugated bar 31 at tached to one face of the member 10 adjacent its lower end, this corrugated bar forming a guide for the cord 30 or other flexible connection, and the rear end extending upward to any desirable place and providing means whereby the curtain may be pulled down to close the opening 15 through the dam. The U-shaped clevis like member 23 is preferably provided with a hook 32 with which any one of the rings or eyes 29 may be engaged so as to support the curtain 27 in its adjusted position across the opening through the dam to thus control the amount of water passing through said opening. The pressure of water, it will be understood, will hold the curtain lirmly in place against the dam and inasmuch as the curtain is braced bythe transverse strips 28 the curtain will not bulge inward through said opening, but will prevent the of water through the dam.

It will be vseen that the section 10 is provided with a brace 17 which is fixed in place. It is necessary to brace the section 11 also, but it is obvious that inasmuch as the section 10 is provided with a ange 16, it is necpassage essary to provide a brace which may be adthe brace 33 is flattened as at 36Y and the section 11 on' its rear face is formed with a clasp adapted to engagethe lower end of this brace 33 to permit the brace to be ade justed. As illustrated, this clasp comprises a pivoted member 37 and a keeper 3,8 beneath which the pivoted member may be turned. When it isdesired to use the braceV 33, its lower end is disposed beneath the pivoted member 37 `and the pivoted member 1s turned beneath the keeper 38 thus clamping kthe lower end of the brace, the upperL end Y oi' the brace being engaged, with the Hange 20 and in the notches 21, as before described.

The operation of this device will beobvious; inasmuchas it is made of relatively thin sheet metal, it may be readilyforced downward into the ditch so that the lower portions 12 and 13 may be forced into the mud or dirt at the bottom of the ditch, and then the two sections 10 and 11 may be forced laterally away from each other so as to cause the curved side edges of the sections 10 and11 to cut into the banks of a ditch and have angood water-tight engagement therewith. TvVhen the sections are properly.

waterthrough the dam or lifted to any re-V quired heifrht by engaging' one or more of the rings 29 with the hook 32. If it be desired to lower the curtain, therrings are unhooked from the hooks 32 and the curtain pulled down by means of the cord 30, without the necessity of the operator.dippinghis hands in the water. It is necessary to provide positive means for lowering the curtain because of the pressure of water which would tend to hold it raised.

Vhile I have illustrated certain ldetails 'of construction and arrangements of parts which I have found to be particularly effective in practice, yet I do not wish to be limited to these details, as it is obvious that many modifications might be made without departingrfrom the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is rl 1.- A dam for irrigation ditches comprising two sheet metal sections, pivoted to each other at their lower ends for lateral adj ustment, means for holding the sections in adjusted positions, said sections having registering openings, and means for controlling the passage of water through said openings, said means comprising a curtain of flexible material supported upon its upper edge upon said sections and vertically adjustable, rings disposed in vertical series upon the curtain, and a fixed hooi; with which said rings are adapted to engage to hold the curtain supported at dili'erent elevations.

2. A dam for irrigation ditches comprising two sheet metal sections, pivoted to each other at their lower ends for lateral adjustment, means for holding the sections in adjusted positions, said sections having registering openings, and means for controlling the passage of water through said openings, Said means comprising a curtain ot' flexible material larger than the opening through the dam and having metallic reinforcing strips extending transversely across the curtain, rings attached to the reinforcing strips, and a hook above the openings in the sections with which said rings are adapted to coact to support the curtain at various elevations.

3. A dam for irrigation ditches comprising two sheet metal sections, pivoted to each other at their lower ends for lateral adjustment, means for holding the sections in adjusted positions, said sections having registering openings, and means for controlling the passage of water through said openings, said means comprising a Atlexible curtain supported at its upper edge upon the sections and normally depending across the opening, said curtain having transverse reinforcing members and means for holding the curtain raised comprising rings disposed at intervals upon the curtain, and a hook operatively supported upon the upper edges of the sections and with which the rings are adapted to engage.

4l. A dam for irrigation ditches having an opening for the passage of water, and means for controlling the passage of water through said opening comprising a flexible curtain supported at its upper edge upon the dam and normally depending across the opening, said curtain having transverse reinforcing members, and means for holding the curtain raised comprising rings disposed at intervals across the curtain, and a hook operatively supported upon the upper edge of the dam and with which the rings are adapted to engage.

5. A dam of the character described comprising two sheet metal sections, the sections having extensions at their lower edges, the extensions being pivoted to each other and adapted to he forced into the bottom of a ditch, and means for clamping the sections in laterally adjusted relation,

said means comprising a. U-shaped member embracing the upper edges of the sections, a bowed clamping member having a hook, a screw having swiveled engagement with the clamping member and screw-threaded engagement with one leg of the clamping member, and a curtain having transverse reinforcing members and having its upper edge disposed beneath the clamp, the curtain normally extending down over said opening, and rings on the curtain adapted to engage with the hook to thereby hold the curtain supported at dillerent elevations.

G. A dam of the character described formed of two sections of sheet metal, the sections being pivoted to each other at their lower ends and having sliding engagement with each other at their upper ends for lateral adjustment, said sections being formed with registering openings, one of said sections being formed on its inner edge face with a longitudinally extending flange and on its outer face with a longitudinally extending brace, the lower ends of which is tapered, a brace detachably and adjustably connected to the face of the other section and having a tapered lower end, and means for controlling the passage of water through the openings in the sections.

7. A dam of the character described `ormed of two sections of sheet metal, the sections being pivoted to each other at their lower ends and having sliding engagement with each other at their upper ends for lateral adjustment, said sections being formed with registering openings, one of said Sections being formed on its inner edge face with a longitudinally extending flange and on its outer face with a longitudinally extending brace, the lower end of which is tapered, a brace detachably and adjustably connected to the 'face of the other section and having a tapered lower end, and means for controlling the passage of water through the openings in the sections, said detachable brace having an angular bend at its upper end formed with a hook adapted to adjustably engage over the upper edge of the section with which it is associated, the face of said section being formed with a pivoted clip adapted to engage the lower end of the brace and with a keeper holding the clip in binding engagement upon the lower end of the brace.

8. A dam of the character described formed in two sheet metal sections, pivoted at their lower ends to permit lateral adjustment of the sections, one of the sections being formed on its outer face with a longitudinally extending edge flange, with a top flange and with a longitudinally extending brace, the other section being formed at its upper edge with a flange extending in a direction opposite to the flange at the upper edge of the first named section, said flange being formed with notches at intervals, the face of said second named section confronting the iirst named section being formed with a pivoted clip and with a keeper adapted to engage the clip when it is turned into operative position, and a brace flattened at its lower end for insertion Within said clip and at its upper end singularly bent and formed with a bill adapted to engage in the 10 notches of the flange of said Second named section.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses. CARL CHASTAXN. fitnessesz J. C. BEAUCHAMP, J. H. MOREHOUSE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the-Conr1missoner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

